The English rock band The Who perform on their first live album Live at Leeds. The album features, what is considered to be, the group’s best line-up with Pete Townshend on guitar, Roger Daltrey on lead vocals, John Entwistle on bass guitar and Keith Moon on the drums. Live at Leeds, often referred to as one of the best live rock albums of all time, was recorded at the University of Leeds in Yorkshire. The 33 song set list includes “My Generation”, “Summertime Blues” and “Magic Bus”, along with many other classic titles by the group.

Rushed out in 1970 as a way to bide time as the Who toiled away on their follow-up to Tommy, Live at Leeds wasn’t intended to be the definitive Who live album, and many collectors maintain that the band had better shows available on bootlegs. But those shows weren’t easily available whereas Live at Leeds was, and even if this show may not have been the absolute best, it’s so damn close to it that it would be impossible for anybody but aficionados to argue. Here, the Who sound vicious – as heavy as Led Zeppelin but twice as volatile – as they careen through early classics with the confidence of a band that finally achieved acclaim but had yet to become preoccupied with making art. In that regard, this recording – in its many different forms – may have been perfectly timed in terms of capturing the band at a pivotal moment in its history.